Budget: About $1000 (this can increase if necessary) (this may not include the cost of the GPU)
More specific use: Stock trading, Web Browsing, AutoCAD, and LIGHT personal-home use of 3D CAD software such as PTC Creo or Solidworks.
Planned time until purchase: 1 month.
Do you need an Operating System?: Yes, Windows 10.
Do you have any specific preferred components?: Intel CPU. Non-gaming-looking motherboard. SSD for the operating system and software. USB 3.0 ports on the front of the case. Quiet.
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: No
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: Stock cooling. No overclocking.
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: No
Any spare parts you can re-use?: No
Zip code/location? (Shipping costs): Continental US

So I've convinced my friend that building a PC is a better value and quality than buying a per-built. I've offered to help them pick the parts and build it for them. This computer will never be used for gaming.

Reliability and quality are TOP PRIORITY. I know there is always going to be lemons, but we would really like to avoid hardware hic-ups or failures if at all possible. Consider this needing to be military-grade.

I know that PTC Creo or Solidworks is used on workstation builds with a Quadro or Firepro card. But we want to avoid over-building if possible. This person may use such software to design simple things like a tool shed for example (this is what they want). So I am really unsure how powerful of a graphics card they need, if any.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/gxqfXL

probably not the best, i don't render so i wouldn't know.
should be a decent framework for you/other builders to work off of though
gl

Thaks for the help guys. I'm really having a hard time picking the motherboard. I've got it narrowed down to H170 chipset and in the ATX size. The question remains, which one.

I'm seriously considering the Asus H170-PRO: https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/H170-PRO/


That Gigabyte GA-H170-D3HP you suggest does look like a nice board. My concern is with the customer service of Gigabyte. I've never bought their products but based on what I've read on forums, they have notoriously bad RMA customer support. MSI and EVEGA seem to have the best support, but I cant find any decent looking H170 boards by them.

Could somebody please give me a reason why i should buy one board or the other. Asus quality control and customer service scares me as swell. I don't know what to do .-.

all company aside from EVGA have shit customer support. It's matter of luck. If you get a person who actually has passion for his/her job, then ull have gr8 experience.
Gigabyte & Asus makes solid motherboards